5. The enemy had about 5,000 or 6,000 men of all sorts in Mobile. At least one brigade has gone to Tullahoma, the Second Brigade, commanded by Brigadier General Alfred Cumming. There remained at Mobile, April 15, five regiments and a battery, viz, the Nineteenth Louisiana, First Georgia, Twenty-eighth, Thirty-sixth, and Fortieth Alabama, and [W. H.] Fowler's battery. Part of these are said to have gone to Tennessee since.

6. Mr. Ed. Eberstadt, a contractor for 50,000 suits of army clothing, writes from Columbus, Ga., April 6, having returned from Richmond the night before:

Two iron-clads are pretty soon [to be] ready again in Richmond. * * * In Wilmington, N. C., a large iron-clad vessel will be done in a few weeks. Here one iron-clad vessel in now in construction and several contracted for. In Selma, Ala., more are in construction, and one sea-going frigate, to carry fifty guns. Two iron-clads, which were built in Selma, are now in Mobile, ready to give the enemy a becoming reception.

There is no doubt in the minds of any of us-it is shown by hundreds of the letters in these captured mails; it is proved by every indication-that the rebels are now straining every nerve to crush Rosecrans. They have taken troops from Charleston, where you see they had 30,000, a brigade and more from Mobile, 7,000 from Port Hudson, where they had 16,000. To-day the army before Rosecrans is stronger, by certainly 30,000 effective men, than it was a month ago.

If Grant is at Jackson, as we hear and believe he is, and in sufficient force to whip the enemy, every man from Vicksburg will go to Tullahoma. We shall gain Vicksburg and Port Hudson before many days, but if Rosecrans is defeated the fruits of our victory will turn to ashes on our tongues.

I am, colonel, as ever, very truly, yours,

RICH'D B. IRWIN,

Assistant Adjutant-General.

NEW ORLEANS,

May 20, 1863.

Major-General BANKS:

The force proposed to be left here is very small; in my opinion, inadequate.

The forced emigration and the enlistment of negroes in the parishes declared slave by the President's proclamation, have made the population here very unsettled.

If a raid from Mobile or elsewhere should be made, the consequences might be disastrous. Could not another brigade be left here?

W. H. EMORY,

Brigadier-General, Commanding.

SPECIAL ORDERS,
HEADQUARTERS AUGUR'S DIVISION,

No. 20.
Baton Rouge, La., May 20, 1863.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

VIII. During the temporary absence of the general commanding, the charge of the town and the troops therein will devolve upon Captain [Luther] Goodrich, provost-marshal.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Colonel Drew, Fourth Louisiana Native Guards, will move his regiment into Fort Williams to-day, and take command of the garrison. He will

32 R-VOL XXVI, PT I